The Great Controversy - Righteousness is Love

193the celestial city. For over two hundred years that voice from Bedford jailhas spoken with thrilling power to the hearts of men. Bunyan's Pilgrim'sProgress and Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners have guided manyfeet into the path of life.Baxter, Flavel, Alleine, and other men of talent, education, and deepChristian experience stood up in valiant defense of the faith which was oncedelivered to the saints. The work accomplished by these men, proscribedand outlawed by the rulers of this world, can never perish. Flavel's Fountainof Life and Method of Grace have taught thousands how to commit thekeeping of their souls to Christ. Baxter's Reformed Pastor has proved ablessing to many who desire a revival of the work of God, and his Saints'Everlasting Rest has done its work in leading souls to the "rest" thatremaineth for the people of God.A hundred years later, in a day of great spiritual darkness, Whitefield andthe Wesleys appeared as light bearers for God. Under the rule of theestablished church the people of England had lapsed into a state of religiousdeclension hardly to be distinguished from heathenism. Natural religion wasthe favorite study of the clergy, and included most of their theology. Thehigher classes sneered at piety, and prided themselves on being above whatthey called its fanaticism. The lower classes were grossly ignorant andabandoned to vice, while the church had no courage or faith any longer tosupport the downfallen cause of truth.The great doctrine of justification by faith, so clearly taught by Luther, hadbeen almost wholly lost sight of; and the Romish principle of trusting togood works for salvation, had taken its place. Whitefield and the Wesleys,who were members of the established church, were sincere seekers for thefavor of God, and this they had been taught was to be secured by a virtuouslife and an observance of the ordinances of religion.When Charles Wesley at one time fell ill, and anticipated that death wasapproaching, he was asked upon what he rested his hope of eternal life. Hisanswer was: "I have used my best endeavors to serve God." As the friendwho had put the question seemed not to be fully satisfied with his answer,Wesley thought: "What! are not my endeavors a sufficient ground of hope?Would he rob me of my endeavors? I have nothing else to trust to."–JohnWhitehead, Life of the Rev. Charles Wesley, page 102. Such was the densedarkness that had settled down on the church, hiding the atonement, robbingChrist of His glory, and turning the minds of men from their only hope ofsalvation–the blood of the crucified Redeemer.